Movie magic can bring any reality to life, limited only by imagination. From dinosaurs in a theme park to an epic saga set in the past in a different galaxy, films go to infinity and beyond when taking viewers on journeys to places, times, and cultures they could only imagine. Enthusiasm is often the determining factor in a movie’s quality.

This is why some great movies sound awful when explained. The sincerity, zeal, and commitment shown by the directors, writers, actors, and the crew of a film impact a movie-watching experience. A movie with a weird premise can be extremely entertaining if the outrageous subject matter is given the treatment it deserves, appropriate for its intended audience.

However, creative eagerness can often backfire, as a creative team could lose sight of what’s important in their pursuit of their vision. It isn’t rare for good or average movies to be ruined by one infuriating scene. These are scenes that make viewers feel like the film went too far. However, “too far” can sometimes be harmless as well.

10

The Room (2003)

Directed by Tommy Wiseau

Known as the man behind the worst film in the world, Tommy Wiseau is a cult legend in Hollywood for making the quintessential “so bad, it’s good” movie. The Room is the perfect demonstration of how overenthusiastic writing and directing can derail a project. Tommy Wiseau clearly went too far in trying to create the perfect movie in his vision.

It is nearly impossible to determine what Wiseau intended for The Room to be, because that’s how aimlessly it wanders before ending just as weirdly as the rest of the film. While Wiseau calls it a black comedy in hindsight, it looks like an ill-conceived drama, with elements of crime and suspense that don’t fit anywhere due to unintentional surrealism.

9

Irréversible (2002)

Directed by Gaspar Noé

The pursuit of realism can be a slippery slope. While it is frequently a great aspect of a film, like when John Wick became a movie character who helped reshape genre expectations with his grounded and realistic characterization and fight sequences. However, some elements of a film shouldn’t have that same level of realism, due to their impact on viewers.

The most infamous scene of Sєxual ᴀssault ever filmed occurs in Gaspar Noé’s Irréversible, where Monica Bellucci’s character is brutally raped in an extended scene. There are no cuts, the sH๏τ is low angle and captures everything, and it follows an already jarringly violent sequence featuring Vincent Cᴀssel. The film’s extreme sensationalism has elicited negative reactions, including bans and walkouts.

8

F9: The Fast Saga (2021)

Directed by Louis Leterrier

Goofiness is essential to action comedies, as the charm of the genre lies in the silly antics of the characters and their often exaggerated stunts and body language. Suspending disbelief is a natural requirement of engaging with over-the-top action cinema, as the genre frequently relies on ignoring the laws of physics for its cinematic moments, but there should be limitations.

Electromagnets do not cause objects behind them to become more magnetic than themselves. A car cannot fly to outer space, taped to a rocket. A satellite-breaking collision should also damage the car colliding with the satellite. In its bid to outdo the previously outrageous stunts, F9 goes too far and contributes to the many Fast & Furious movie plot holes.

7

Antichrist (2009)

Directed by Lars von Trier

Lars von Trier is known for his sensationalist, extreme cinema that makes viewers recoil in horror and hold their heads in pain. There is a distinct lack of optimism in his works that breaks the hearts of audiences every time, regardless of the subject matter. However, in his bid to create artistically substantial cinema, the director often goes too far.

Antichrist, which features one of the most shocking horror movie moments that makes you audibly gasp, is an exploration of the depravity that grief often brings with it. A couple, overwhelmed by grief, have horrifying experiences as they emotionally and physically abuse each other in a gory and perverted expression of post-traumatic stress that could push viewers to their limits.

6

Last Tango In Paris (1972)

Bernardo Bertolucci

While the phrase “went too far” is most commonly used to refer to the elements of a film on the screen, behind-the-scenes details often reveal horrifying experiences that qualify as a filmmaker going too far. One of the most infamous examples of this occurred on the set of Bernardo Bertolucci’s Last Tango in Paris, starring Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider.

The film features a rape scene which isn’t as gratuitous as Irréversible‘s, but is made more egregious by a horrifying detail – Maria Schneider wasn’t aware it would be filmed until moments before filming began. The reactions captured on the screen are authentic and serve as a reminder of how directors can go too far and abuse their power.

5

Tenet (2020)

Directed by Christopher Nolan

Few filmmakers have a reputation for insisting on realism like Christopher Nolan. He has a tireless work ethic that is complemented by the best in the industry, who can keep up with his demands. He prefers to use minimal post-production visual effects and enjoys telling expansive stories with large-scale stakes. The writing, acting, production design, and choreography must be exemplary.

While such meticulous work creates incredible cinema, even featuring one of the best Oscar-winning actor performances, it can lead to problems. Nolan crashed a real plane into a building for a scene in his sci-fi caper Tenet, which also goes too far with its time-travel mechanics and remains confusing despite the messy but extensive amount of exposition in the film.

4

Martyrs (2008)

Directed by Pascal Laugier

While the afterlife, ghosts, and demonic possession have been the subject of horror stories from time immemorial, some horror movies are unlike anything you’ve seen before. Pascal Laugier’s interpretation of the afterlife in the form of a cult is so scarring and visceral that it leaves an enduring impression. The film’s extreme gore and brutality caused walkouts when first released.

Laugier’s Martyrs follows a woman who is trying to help her friend avenge her past abuse. It eventually reveals a cult that captures women and tortures them so they lose their grip on reality and successfully pᴀss into the afterlife. The film goes way too far in its depiction of torture. The interesting story angle is nearly ruined by sensationalism.

3

The Image Book (2018)

Directed by Jean-Luc Godard

Jean-Luc Godard, one of the founders of the French New Wave movement in cinema, has left an indelible mark on the art of filmmaking. From challenging the narrative and tonal conventions of French cinema to using his platform as a director to address harsh realities, his influence can be seen even in films that aren’t directly inspired by his work.

However, like any auteur, his later works are considerably self-indulgent, and his 2018 film The Image Book falls in that category. While fans of Godard and avant-garde cinema have professed their love for the abstract film that uses disjointed images to create a narrative, it can seem quite impenetrable. Godard might have gone too far in his enthusiasm for surrealism.

2

Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice (2016)

Directed by Zack Snyder

This may be an unpopular opinion about a famous movie, but the Snyder Cut of Justice League is barely an improvement on the theatrical cut, beyond the quality of the cinematography. Snyder’s interpretations of DC’s heroes are markedly different from their comic book counterparts, which continues to be a point of contention for many fans of the original comic books.

Not only does Superman not inspire hope and Batman abandon his no-killing rule, but there is also a much more fundamental flaw in Snyder’s previous film. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is literally too dark to see. In his bid to create a gloomy and intimidating atmosphere to complement the edgy tone, Snyder went too far and compromised visibility.

1

The Shining (1980)

Directed by Stanley Kubrick

There has perhaps never been a bigger taskmaster of a filmmaker than Stanley Kubrick. A literal perfectionist, the man has gone to extreme standards to ensure his vision comes alive in his films. From refusing to let actors take personal days to doing an inhuman number of takes for a sH๏τ, he would often take things too far on set.

The Shining, which follows its main character’s descent into madness, has perhaps the most infamous example of Kubrick’s problematic zeal as a director. He verbally abused and forced Shelley Duvall into isolation on set to put her in the mindset of her character. He also made her walk back up the stairs while swinging the bat a record-making 127 times.